Rivals
by alexcabotfan
Summary: Casey Novak and Alex Cabot are forced to work together - this ought to be interesting... A/C friendship with E/O romance mixed in for good measure!
1. Introduction

Soo…this idea popped into my head when I found out that Alex and Casey would both be returning! *GASP YAY* I hope you enjoy :-) I don't own _Wicked _or Law and Order: SVU, sadly.

* * *

><p>Alex walked into the 16th precinct, fresh off the plane from the Congo. She told her detectives she wouldn't be back for another two weeks, so she hoped they would be happily surprised. Though she originally planned to go to her apartment first, she couldn't wait to see her closest friends.<p>

"Hey there, stranger!" Elliot exclaimed first. The entire unit ran to give the blonde a huge group-hug.

"I thought you weren't getting in until the 15th!" Olivia commented happily.

"Surprise!" Alex shrugged with a smile, "My final case plead out at the last moment, so I got to come home early!"

"We're light on cases this afternoon, how about we all go out for lunch? We want to hear all about the Congo!" Cragen suggested.

"That sounds great, but I haven't even brought my bags home yet, and I could use a serious nap," Alex apologized, "But, how about dinner tonight?"

Everyone agreed and decided to meet at Melrose Diner for 6:30 that evening. Alex grabbed her luggage and was about to head out the door when she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, Liz told me I'd be working with a partner," Alex inquired, "Any idea who this mystery person is?"

"Liz didn't tell you?" Olivia asked sheepishly.

"No, she said I'd find out when I need to find out," Alex replied with a laugh and an eye-roll.

Elliot, Olivia, Munch, Fin, and Cragen looked at each other, fighting over who would tell her. If Alex shot the messenger, no one wanted to be the fatality. Alex never explicitly said anything before, but everyone knew Alex wouldn't particularly _like_ her new partner. However, the question was answered when, as if on cue, Alex's partner waltzed into the precinct.

"Hey guys, I got the search warrant for the –" Casey Novak began, "Alex, I didn't think you were getting back for a couple weeks."

"Change of plans," Alex coldly retorted, "So, you're my new partner?"

"Uh yeah," Casey answered, trying to paste on a smile, "Liz thought we might work well together, so…"

"Great," Alex also pasted on a smile to appear civil, "Well, I'd better go unpack and settle in. I'll see you all later at dinner."

Alex left as quickly as she could, needing to be as far away as possible from Casey Novak. Munch, one of the few people in the world who could read Alex like a book, followed her out to talk her down.

"Well, that went well," the red-head sarcastically commented, "Anyway, I'll be at my office; call me if you need anything."

"They didn't kill each other," Elliot commented once Casey was out of earshot, "It went better than _I _expected."

* * *

><p><em>Alex and Casey's inner-thoughts: To the musical styling of 'What is this Feeling' from Wicked:<em>

_Alex and Casey:_

There's been some confusion over working here for Liz

_Casey:_

But of course I'll try my hardest

_Alex:_

But of course I'll riiise above it

_Alex and Casey:_

For I know that's how Liz'd want me to respond,

Yes, there's been some confusion for you see my partner is…

_Alex:_

Unusually and exceedingly incompetent and it's

Altogether quite impossible to get along…

_Casey:_

Blonde

_Alex and Casey_

What is this feeling so sudden and new?

I felt the moment I laid eyes on you?

My pulse is rushing

My face is flushing

My head is reeling

Oh, what is this feeling?

Fervid as a flame

Does it have a name?

Yeeesss

Loathing

Unadulterated Loathing

_Alex_

For your face

_Casey_

Your voice

_Alex_

Your clothing

_Alex and Casey_

Let's just say - I loathe it all.  
>Every little trait however small,<br>makes my very flesh begin to crawl, with simple utter loathing  
>theres a strange exilhiration in such total<br>detestation. It's so pure so strong  
>Though I do admit it came on fast,<br>still I do believe that it can last  
>and I will be loathing,<br>loathing you my whole life long

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading - now please review! Also, I have a question: who are you more excited to see return: Alex or Casey? Hit me up and tell me what you think!<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

_Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you continue to read, review, and enjoy! As usual, I own nothing – surprise, surprise…_

* * *

><p>Munch practically had to run to keep up with the blonde's brisk pace. Even with heels, Alex could sure as hell book it when needed.<p>

"Alex, wait up!" Munch yelled to no avail. He realized he was going to have to physically catch her if he had any hope of a chat. Finally, he got close enough to grab her gently by the wrist and turn her to face him.

"What?" Alex spit, "If you expect me to be happy that I'm working with Casey, you can forg –"

"Alex, you know I love you," Munch began, "But you can be a stubborn bitch sometimes. Hell, it's part of your ineffable charm, but –"

"Aw, thanks," Alex spit back sardonically.

"My point is, give Casey a chance," he gently counseled, "Try losing the 'ice-queen' façade and see what happens. I've seen my share of partners, and you and Casey might work well together if you let her."

"Right," Alex scoffed, "She can continue to be inept, and I'll cover her slack. Sounds like a _great_ partnership!"

"Alex, you and I both know Casey is _far_ from inept," Munch tried to reason with her, "That's why this scares you so much…"

"Well, John, how would you feel if you were being replaced?" Alex could feel the angry tears coming, so she ran away as fast as her pumps would allow her.

"Hey, hey, hey," Munch gently grabbed her to stop her get-away, "No one is being replaced here, especially not you!"

"Well, she did before," Alex continued, "I mean, you guys all just _love _Casey Novak!"

With that, Alex finally shed a few tears. Most people wouldn't even realize she was crying, but Munch knew her well enough and pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, Ace, no one could ever replace you," Munch consoled, "If it's any consolation, we all _hated _Casey for almost six months after you…left. Her nickname was 'not Alex;' though if you tell _her_ that I'll vehemently deny it!"

"Thanks, I guess that makes it a bit better," Alex gave a weak smile, "Sorry I'm such a mess – I think jet-lag and sleep-deprivation's making me a little melodramatic…"

"I don't think _you _need sleep-deprivation and jet-lag for that," Munch teased, earning him a swat on the arm, then gently implored, "Seriously though, _try_ and be civil to Casey. You two could really hit it off."

"Alright, fine, I'll be civil," Alex agreed, "She's not getting cordial or warm from me, though!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Casey Novak was back in her office, still reeling. She had absolutely no idea why Liz insisted on this <em>insane<em> partnership, but she supposed there was nothing to do but make the most of it. For now, she was going to bury herself in paperwork and try and distract herself. Luckily, it was still morning, so she had the whole day to eradicate the enormous amount of paperwork she still had left. However, after only twenty minutes a knock on her door interrupted her.

"Come in," Casey replied, still half-concentrating on the pages before her.

Olivia and Elliot came in and sat quietly, clearly meaning business. Casey was rather nervous about this impromptu visit, but she put on a nonchalant façade.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Casey asked more curiously than usual.

"What's going on is, you need to be nicer to Alex," Olivia began.

"Oh yes, I'm so sorry for rejecting _her _warm welcome," Casey deadpanned with her best 'are you serious' look.

"Munch is talking to Alex, too," Elliot assured her, "But _we're_ talking to you. And if the _both _of you can't get along you're going to lose a hell of a lot of cases and miss out on what could be a good partnership."

"Oh yeah, _great _partnership," Casey mused more to herself, "I get to be the 'Great Alexandra Cabot's' sidekick. Yippee…"

"Casey, you know that's not how it is –" Olivia began.

"Oh please," Casey countered, "I appreciate the sentiment, but my nickname was 'not Alex' for God's sake."

Elliot and Olivia exchanged terribly guilty looks. No one thought Casey knew about her less-than-flattering nickname. Granted, it only lasted a few months until the squad got to know and love Casey in her own right, but still…

"Look, maybe at first we didn't handle the transition as well as we could've," Olivia admitted, "Alright – we kind of handled it really, _really_ horribly. But, I think I speak for the entire squad when I say we couldn't choose between you and Alex today if we tried. She's as much 'not Casey' as you are 'not Alex.'"

"Thanks. And I'll try and be civil to Alex," Casey agreed with a soft smile. With that, the two detectives said their goodbyes and headed for the door.

"Though, I won't be _nice_ unless she is," Casey qualified, "Civil, I can do."

"That's all we ask," Elliot said with a slight chuckle as he and Olivia exited the office.

"So, how long do you think it'll take before they murder each other?" Elliot asked as soon as they were out of earshot, "I'll guess a week."

"I don't know, I think they can at least be civil," Olivia disagreed, "Alex and Casey always had self-control."

"I think _eventually_ they'll be able to work together," Elliot assessed, "But not before major fireworks go off."

* * *

><p>Casey continued immersing herself in paperwork, so surprisingly she was nearly finished when afternoon came around. However, when Liz came to her door, she knew the visit wouldn't mean anything great.<p>

"Hi, Casey," Liz began, "Where's Alex?"

"I think she's at home," Casey answered, "She's not supposed to return to work until tomorrow, right?"

"Right, so the two of you need to get together before then so she's updated on our open cases," Liz said as if it were obvious.

"Alright, I'll set something up for this afternoon," Casey feigned a smile. She grabbed her phone and dialed Alex's number, _not _looking forward to this _at all._

* * *

><p><em>So, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Whether you loved it, hated it, or were indifferent, PLEASE review and let me know how you feel!<br>_


	3. Chapter 2

_Hey, everyone! Sorry it's been a little while since I've updated. My work schedule has been murdering my muse :-( Hopefully, I can get some more chapters of both my stories up before I need to go back to school in two weeks! I own nothing; if I did, you would see this on t.v!_

* * *

><p>Alex hated the feeling of doing nothing. Absolutely. despised. it. So, padding around her apartment, simply unpacking, felt like torture. At the same time, she was so exhausted from the twelve hour flight and the six hour time difference that a nap felt incredibly welcome. She could count the number of naps she had ever taken on one hand. Even as a young child, she would simply argue in her three-year-old way that naps were a complete waste of time. Once she had entirely finished unpacking, however, she gave in to her body and lay down to rest.<p>

The nap was interrupted after fifteen minutes. She had that nightmare again, the one she had ever since she 'died:'

_It started out like an ordinary day. Alex entered the old precinct, just as it was six years ago before renovations and WitSec. Munch and Fin were talking, laughing. Elliot and Olivia were hopelessly flirting with each other. Cragen was presumably in his office. However, she felt questioning eyes on her; no one came to greet her as usual._

_ "Hi, can I help you?" Olivia finally greeted._

_ "Hey, Liv," Alex replied, a question in her tone, "I just came to bring you that search warrant."_

_ "I'm sorry, do I know you?" Olivia looked completely lost._

_ "I've only been your ADA for the last four years," Alex replied, now slightly angry. She decided this was some sick joke, so she ended the conversation there._

_ "Munch, Fin – did you find anything I can use in the Richards' home?" She hoped _they_ at least kept their sanity._

_ "Sorry, have we met?" Munch replied. Fin gave a confused look, evidently no clearer than Munch or Olivia._

_ "Should we call Huang about her?" Elliot asked Olivia in the slightest whisper._

_ Alex ran out, reaching her office as fast as she could. _

_ "Hey, Eric," Alex greeted the security guard with a smile and gave her ID as a necessary formality._

_ "I'm sorry," Eric answered, looking at his list, "No one named Alexandra Cabot works here."_

_ "What are you talking about?" Alex practically yelled, "I've worked here for years! I bring you a coffee every morning!"_

_ Barry gave Alex a sympathetic shrug, indicating he wouldn't let her in._

_ Liz Donnelly walked by, prompting Alex to wave her down._

_ "Liz will vouch for me," she explained, "Liz, can you please tell Barry I work here?"_

_ "Never seen her before in my life," Liz gave Barry a very confused expression and went into the building, leaving Alex out in the cold._

Alex awoke with a start, breathing deeply, trying to calm down. God, she _hated _that nightmare. Back in WitSec, she would feel anxious for hours after she woke. Sometimes, she thought about getting in her car and driving all the way from Wisconsin to New York, just to make sure everyone still knew her. She didn't care if it was completely crazy and unrealistic; it still scared the living shit out of her. Every minute _she wasn't Alex_ scared the living shit out of her. At least now that she was back in New York, she could convince herself that everything was alright and calm down a little bit more quickly.

Her apartment telephone rang, bringing Alex out of her near panic attack. Hoping it was someone from the 1-6 to chat about dinner, Alex happily answered.

"Hello!"

"Hey, Alex," Casey started nervously, "It's Casey."

"Oh, hi," Alex quickly put on a harsher tone, "What's up?"

"Liz suggested we get together this afternoon to discuss our open cases," Casey got straight to the point, "I mean, if you're busy or jetlagged, we could always reschedule."

"No, now is fine," Alex checked her watch.

"Ok, so want to meet at the office, or –"

"You know what?" Alex interrupted, "I look like crap, and I don't feel like making myself _not _look like crap, so could you just come here?"

"Sure."

"Ok. I'll text you my address. Bye."

"Bye."

Alex wasn't looking forward to having Casey come into her home, but she figured it was better than making herself 'outside-the-apartment' worthy.

Thanks to Casey's cell-phone GPS, she found Alex's apartment very easily and got there within twenty minutes by subway. However, she stood outside, debating whether she should enter or run away silently screaming. She didn't want to be eaten alive, after all. She finally decided on the mature thing and buzzed for Alex to let her in.

"Casey, come in," Alex managed her best hostess smile while still being curt, "Can I get you anything to eat? Drink?"

"All set, thanks," Casey answered, "I love your apartment."

"Thanks"

Alex led Casey into her living room and curled up on the couch, reading glasses in tow. Casey was a bit taken aback by how informally the other attorney was dressed. She hadn't bothered to change for the meeting, so she simply wore a pair of grey sweatpants, a plain pink t-shirt, and short pink socks. Her hair, usually done to perfection, was simply pulled into a messy bun; pieces of her long, blonde bangs fell out and framed her face, free of any make-up. Obviously, Casey didn't care how she was dressed; just she never expected to see Alex without her power suits.

"So, what've we got," Alex became all business.

Casey handed over all fifteen files and gave Alex an excellent 'Reader's Digest' version of each one. Both women clearly worked to keep emotionally distant from one another and engaged in their work. It would have been incredibly awkward had there actually been enough conversation to make it so.

"Now, we should also talk about chairs at trial," Alex mentioned. Had Liz not specifically demanded they share first chair somehow, it would have been an all-out blood bath.

"Right," Casey agreed, "Did you want to switch chairs every other case or divide up each trial?"

"Dividing up the trials is fine if that works for you," Alex decided, "Now, which parts do you want?"

Casey silently debated how to answer. She _really, really _wanted to deliver closing statements. She loved spending hours silently writing her work of art. She loved how she could see a decision change to 'guilty' as she walked in front of the jury box. She loved how, no matter how solid their case, she could always make opposing council squirm. However, if Alex wanted closing as well, she knew it would mean World War III.

"You know, I'd be up for anything," she finally decided, "How about you?"

Alex silently mulled over her response. She _really, really _wanted cross-examinations. She loved how witnesses gave her an over-confident smile because she looked sweet, unimposing and blonde. She loved how that smile disappeared after they were interrupted with a curt, 'thank you,' realizing they just screwed themselves. She especially loved seeing opposing council after she finished. However, if Casey wanted cross-examination as well, she knew it would mean World War III.

"Look, let's not do the passive-aggressive girl thing," Casey suggested, "How about we write down one part we want, and if it's the same, we'll fight about it then."

With that, Alex neatly folded and refolded an index card until it tore in half. After handing one side to Casey, both women followed the suggestion. They breathed a sigh of relief when, upon exchanging cards, they realized they had different favorites.

"Ok, then," Alex gave a relieved smile, then switched back to business, "I'll take opening and cross, and you do direct and closing?"

"That works for me," Casey agreed, liking how it would mean one examination and one statement per attorney, "Oh, what about arraignment?"

"'The people request remand your honor. The defendant is a flight risk with no ties to the community,'" Alex deadpanned, "Want to just alternate that one?"

"Sure."

"And we should do pretrial work, motion hearings, and witness prep together" Alex suggested, "Also, we'll have to share our questions and statements beforehand; just so we're on the same page."

"You mean so I won't fuck it up?" Casey regretted letting that slip as soon as it exited her mouth.

"No, I mean so we're on the same page," Alex quietly repeated. Alex wanted to let _several_ not-so-nice things slip throughout this meeting, but her naturally reserved personality prevented her. She couldn't decide if she admired or admonished the other attorney for her bluntness.

"Sorry. That was, um, uncalled for."

"It's ok," Alex accepted, not looking up from the file she was skimming, "Now, I think that's everything?"

"Yup, I believe so," Casey agreed, "I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"See you then," Alex mustered as quickly and with as little feeling as possible. Both women breathed a sigh of relief once Casey left the apartment, and both were glad to be done with the _interesting _experience.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks so much for continuing to read and review :-) I hope you're enjoying the story as much as I'm enjoying writing it! Please review, I would be very, very excited to hear what everyone thinks!<br>_


	4. Chapter 3

Two chapters at once? This is unheard of from me, lol! My muse just wouldn't shut up this fine evening! Anyway, I hope you take some time to review and leave me some love - or hate, or indifference, don't really care as long as its a review! And no, I did not acquire SVU within the last five seconds, so no, this will probably not ever be shown on TV (one can dream, though, right?).

* * *

><p>Alex and Casey's first week working together passed without much fanfare, surprisingly. They had separate offices, thankfully, so they only rarely needed to acknowledge each other's existence. What little contact they had was awkward, curt, and unfriendly; but it bordered enough on civility to satisfy their friends at the 1-6 and Liz.<p>

It was Friday night, and by 7:30 pm Alex was _more _than ready for the week-end. She loved the peace and quiet that came when no one else was in the office, though. After deciding to shut herself off from working for the night, she gathered up some files, put on her coat, and made her way to the front lobby. She didn't have an exorbitant amount of paper-work to do before Monday, but enough that it filled three manila envelopes.

"Alex?" a voice called out from behind her. Though it wasn't loud or terribly out of the blue, it was enough to startle the hell out of Alex. The blonde let out an audible scream and dropped the contents in her hands, spilling loose papers everywhere.

"Shit, Casey, you scared the hell out of me," Alex practically whispered, still trying to catch her breath. The red-head immediately bent down and helped Alex gather and sort the chaotic mess of papers that lay on the cool linoleum floor.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you" Casey tried desperately to hide her laughter. She found it absolutely hilarious to see the usually calm, composed attorney in such a state of disarray.

"It's ok, you can laugh," Alex gave a self-deprecating smile; "I didn't think anyone else was still here."

Casey used the free pass to let a few chuckles slip, causing Alex to do the same. Once all the papers were off the floor and properly organized, both stood up, readjusted their outfits and went back to all-business as they left the office.

"So, any fun plans for the weekend," Casey tried to break the awkward silence now emerging.

"Nothing too exciting;" Alex replied, "I'm just catching up on paperwork; you?"

"About the same," Casey added, "God, that paperwork from the Dalton case is _ridiculous,_ huh?"

"Oh my _God, _you're telling me!" Alex rolled her eyes in sympathy, then gave a small smile, "I love him to death, but Elliot _really_ needs to stop roughing up perps. It ruins my week-ends!"

"So true!" Casey laughed, "And Liv _really _needs to stop covering his ass! It just doubles the paperwork we need to file!"

"Oh well," Alex laughed, "Maybe once they consummate the damn thing, they'll be able to work together without burying us in paper!" Alex meant to keep that last comment silent, but somehow it escaped from Alex's usually guarded mouth.

"_Finally_," Casey exclaimed, "Someone who agrees with me! I brought it up with Munch once and he just laughed at me; said it was some 'partner thing' I'd never understand!"

"'Partner thing' my ass!" Alex scoffed, "If Fin and Munch looked at each other the way Liv and Elliot do, I'd start to wonder if maybe there were other reasons Munch's marriages failed…"

That got a laugh out of both women as they made their way to the front lobby.

"Well, have a good weekend!" Alex excused herself as she got close to her car.

"You, too."

'_Holy SHIT!' _they both thought, _'We actually had a polite conversation without murdering each other…that was weird._ Though it wasn't incredibly comfortable or friendly, their civility wasn't as curt or forced as usual. It was improvement, maybe…

* * *

><p>'Improvement' lasted until Monday afternoon. Olivia and Elliot caught a case; like most cases they caught, it was particularly gruesome. A fourteen-year old, Melissa Ethers, was assaulted, murdered, and dumped into the Hudson, effectively eradicating all physical evidence. However, her seventeen-year old boyfriend, John Malcolm, had anger issues, an alibi that one could drive an SUV through, and the couple had been seen fighting two hours before the murder. According to her friend who had witnessed the altercation, he had threatened to kill her several times.<p>

"Well, I don't need any more convincing," Cragen assured them, looking over the files, "But without physical evidence, you're gonna have a hard time getting our ADA's to indict."

"It'll be a hard sell," Elliot agreed, "But we've gotten convictions with less."

* * *

><p>"Look, Elliot, I'm sorry, but there's not enough here," Alex was forced to disappoint Olivia and Elliot.<p>

"Come on, Alex," Olivia pled her heart out, "If we don't arrest him now, daddy dearest will just fly him to God knows where on his private jet."

"And if we _do _arrest him now, the legal dream-team his parents can afford will chew me up and spit me out," Alex countered.

"There's got to be something you can do," Elliot gave her his famous blue-eyed, begging look.

"There's enough for a search warrant if I call in a _big _favor," Alex finally conceded, "Find me something I can use in his home, and I'll see what I can do."

Accepting that was the ADA's best offer, they said their goodbyes and were prepared to wait for the search warrant. However, Elliot suddenly had a _brilliant _idea once he was out of Alex's earshot.

"Look, maybe Casey will see things differently," Elliot suggested, "She takes a few more risks than Alex."

"Yeah, I'm sure Alex will _love _it if we go behind her back," Olivia countered.

"We wouldn't be going behind her back," Elliot continued, "If we can get Casey to agree, maybe _she_ can change Alex's mind…"

"Alright, I guess it's worth a shot," Olivia agreed, "But we're not arresting Malcolm unless they're both on board."

* * *

><p>"Sorry, guys, I agree with Alex," Casey regrettably informed them, "If we arrest him now, we're screwed."<p>

"If we don't arrest him now, there won't be a later," Elliot argued.

"It's a 'Hail Mary' pass," Casey argued more forcefully, "If nothing turns up in the search, we _will_ lose this case."

"Casey, a fourteen year old girl is dead, and the snotty rich bastard who killed her is going to soak up the sun on some non-extraditable island if we don't arrest him now," Olivia argued back just as forcefully.

"Alright," Casey took a deep breath after thinking for a moment, "I say we arrest him….I sincerely doubt Alex will agree, but I'll try."

"Thanks, Case!" Elliot and Olivia both sincerely smiled.

"Yeah, yeah," Casey mock-sarcastically shot back, "You sure as hell better find me something with that search warrant!"

* * *

><p>Casey waited outside Alex's office door nervously as the blonde finished her telephone conversation. She couldn't help but overhear it– well, she could help it, but Casey was always a naturally curious person.<p>

"Look, I know it's weak evidence, but – No, of course I'm not suggesting that you jeopardize your judicial record – This is our last chance, and I know it's a big favor, but I wouldn't be asking if it weren't of the utmost importance – I knew you'd come through for me! Thank you so much! – Of course I'm coming for Thanksgiving! Can I bring anything? – Well, let me know if Aunt Sue changes her mind! Give her and the kids my love! – Love you, too, Uncle Bill!"

Once she hung up the phone, she noted the red-head outside and cordially – well, as cordially as Alex could be with Casey and vice-versa – invited her in.

"So, Liv and Elliot came by my office just now about the Malcolm case," Casey began.

"Yeah, they discussed that with me, too," Alex continued, assuming she would just discuss how little evidence there was, "I just got off the phone with my Uncle. He got us a search warrant, so we have at least something to work with."

"Look, I know the evidence is shaky, but if we let him go we will never get him back," Casey began.

"Lord, not you, too," Alex cradled her head in her right hand, "Look, there's nothing we can do, and you know it."

"We have the warrant," Casey began, "We can arrest him just to keep him in custody, and that'll buy the detectives some time to gather evidence."

"And what if the search turns up _nothing_," Alex countered, "Then, we either drop the charges, and he's had more time to plan his escape route, or we lose the case and ruin our chances of conviction entirely."

"I know it's risky, but I have faith that the detectives –"

"We can't put faith on the stand or enter it into evidence," Alex countered, now getting aggravated, "I want to help as much as you, but we are _not_ magicians; we can only work with what the detectives give us. Until they give us _more,_ I will not stand behind arresting him. Any lawyer who _would _is _completely_ inept."

Though Alex didn't _intend_ any disrespect or insult towards Casey with her last comment (she knew Casey found the evidence just as lacking as she), Casey took the blunt, perhaps insensitive comment personally.

"Well, I see your mind is made up," Casey finally retorted as she left the office. Still reeling, she made what may not have been the best decision…

_Arrest him,_ she sent to both Elliot and Olivia's cell. She knew Alex would be furious and, honestly, that was part of the reason she sent it. Perhaps she was a little oversensitive right now; perhaps Alex was overly _insensitive _when she argued with Casey. But, either way, Alex's comment was the last straw. Casey was sick and tired of how everyone worshipped Alexandra Cabot. She was sick of being compared to her by the gossips in her office, and tired of how Alex looked at her like she thought Casey was ten inches tall whenever they disagreed this past week. She didn't know or care whether her thoughts were rational – she was _done. _

* * *

><p><em>Well, I hope that whet your appetite for more! I assure you, MASSIVE FIREWORKS are coming up, so review review review and kick my muse into high gear!<br>_


	5. Chapter 4

Hello . . . I'm back! I'm terribly sorry for the unacceptable delay. This school year just got soooo completely busy. But, now that summer is finally here, I hope to update very, very frequently :-) Remember, reviewing helps my creative juices flow . . .

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Alex was finishing up some paperwork in her office before her 3:30 court appearance. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until a rather perturbed looking Liz Donnelly knocked on her door.<p>

"Alex, what the hell are you thinking, arresting John Malcolm?" Liz shot, "You have no evidence, a search hasn't even been conducted –"

"Excuse me?" Alex could only muster. She'd been dealing with the _worst _headache all day, and did not want to now deal with Liz's rage.

"Look, I don't want to hear it," Liz finished, "There's nothing we can do now. You and Casey just better win this one…" With that, Liz turned on her heels and walked away, obviously none too thrilled.

Alex stormed into the precinct, beyond furious at what just happened. She eyed her targets and locked in, ready to let it rip.

"Liv, Elliot, can I see you in the hallway, please?" Though Alex was controlled and not outwardly angry, the two detectives knew that, whatever they did, they were _in _for it.

"Would the two of you like to explain to me why John Malcolm was arrested?" Alex spit, "I specifically told you to wait until after you executed the search warrant…"

"Wait a minute, you gave us the go-ahead," Elliot began, then the realization hit him, "And, no you didn't . . . "

Alex then had a realization that she was yelling at the wrong people.

"That fucking bitch," she whispered under her breath, "Sorry guys; either of you know where Casey is?"

"I think that's her coming in now," Olivia noted.

Alex left without another word, obviously intent and on a mission. She noticed a wrenching queasy feeling in her stomach, attributing it to how royally pissed she felt. Though the situation would have upset her anyway, the massive headache, and now queasy feeling, only amplified her aggravation.

"Liv, I know you're not a prayer person, but you might want to make an exception," Elliot joked, "Because God is about the only thing that can save Casey now!"

"Casey, interrogation 1," Alex shot, _"Now._"

As Alex left little room for negotiation, Casey followed Alex into interrogation, though she was fully intent on holding her own. Both knew one thing: there was a huge fight coming, and they would _not _be the one to lose.

"What the fuck?" Alex began with, "Look, I get that this partnership sucks, but I thought that even _you_ cared more about judicial conduct than –"

"'Judicial conduct?" Casey interrupted, "Why don't we talk to Mrs. Cavanaugh about 'judicial conduct . . ."

As soon as she said it, Casey knew she'd gone _way, way, way _too far. The look on Alex's face, and the way she left the room without even attempting a comeback, only solidified the guilty lump forming in Casey's throat. Despite what everyone says, winning doesn't always taste sweet . . .

After the first five or six calls, Alex's phone went straight to voicemail. Casey desperately wanted to apologize. Finally, the realization struck her that if she wanted to return to some _semblance_ of civility, if she wanted ever to be in Alex's presence without being murdered, she would need to gloss things over in person. Luckily, Casey's photographic memory allowed her to make her way to Alex's apartment without any assistance from her phone, though unluckily, no one answered the door. She noticed a light on and the faint sound of a radio, though, so she refused to give up.

"Look, Alex, I know you're in there," she began, and after a long silence, continued, "I can be just as stubborn as you. Hell, I'll sit here all night if need be. All night . . ."

Finally, out of sheer aggravation, Alex opened the door.

"Can you please just go away," Alex pleaded angrily, "I _will _call the police . . ."

"Please just hear me out," Casey interrupted, "I feel terrible about what I said - "

"As you should," Alex shot, "You know _nothing _about Sam Cavanaugh, nothing about _me_, so where you get off judging –"

Suddenly, Alex darted off, leaving her apartment door open. Casey saw her enter the bathroom, and took the opportunity to step inside the apartment. A few moments later, Alex returned, her game face back on. Casey then noticed, though, how pale the blonde was (unusually so even for her alabaster tone). She had the urge to ask if she was ok, but quickly stifled it; now would _not _be a good time to insinuate that Alex looked unwell.

"Now, if you'll please excuse me," Alex continued angrily, gesturing to the door, "I'd appreciate it if you'd allow me to –" but before she could finish, Alex again made a mad dash for the restroom. Now closer to the door, Casey distinctly heard the sounds of vomiting.

"Alex, you alright?" At this point, Casey assumed it safe to ask.

"No, I'm not alright," Alex angrily answered, re-emerging from the bathroom, "_You're _harassing me in my own apartment, the disgusting food in the court-house apparently gave me food poisoning, and on top of that I need to figure out a way to salvage this case you destroyed!"

Casey almost angrily shot back about the case but checked her emotions. Instead, she quickly felt the blonde's forehead, much to Alex's shock.

"I don't think it's just food poisoning," Casey replied, "You're burning up."

"Excuse me if I don't trust your _wealth _of medical expertise," Alex spit.

"I was a bio-chem major on the pre-med track," Casey calmly retorted, "I'm not Doc Warner, but I certainly know food poisoning doesn't elevate body temperature _this_ much."

"Oh my God, you don't think I got some weird exotic disease from the Congo, do you?" Alex panicked; she had always been a bit of a hypochondriac. Though she wanted to be absolutely furious and continue trying to get Casey out of her apartment, her anxiety trumped her anger.

"I sincerely doubt it," Casey comforted, "You've been home for practically three weeks; most viruses have no more than a ten day intubation period. Still, though, you should probably take your temperature. Where's your thermometer?"

"I don't have one," Alex answered, "I _never _run fevers; my body temperature tends to run low."

"Why does that not surprise me," Casey muttered under her breath. Alex heard, but was no longer feeling up to fighting, "Do you at least have some Advil?"

"Probably in the cupboard above the sink," Alex answered. She went to lie on the couch, now too exhausted to even care that Casey was in her apartment.

Sure enough, the cupboard above the sink contained a bottle of ibuprofen, but it was entirely empty.

"You're all out," Casey continued, "Want me to run and grab a few things at the drug store? It's the least I could do . . ."

"Absolutely not!" Alex tried to sit up and fight more vehemently, but dizziness overcame her, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and even if I weren't, I certainly don't need any help from _you_!"

"Very well," Casey contrived, "I'll just call Cragen over to make sure you're all set."

That certainly got Alex's attention. Alex's father left when she was very young, and everyone, including Casey even, knew that Cragen and Alex were close like father and daughter. Though he protected all of his detectives, he always took particular care to ensure Alex's safety and health; it was no secret Alex still possessed his prized, single-shot revolver. Alex's main concern, though, involved his tendency to insist on hospital stays; Alex had several phobias, but none terrified her as much as hospitals.

"Fine," Alex relented, "If you absolutely _insist, _there's a drug store on the corner."

Casey's guilt led her to go a bit overboard. Within twenty minutes, she returned with a digital thermometer, Advil, Aleve, _and_ Tylenol so Alex could choose, some all-natural chicken broth, some Theraflu in case of a sore throat, and some Nyquil. Even in that short time, though, Alex felt much worse. Not only did her stomach feel like it was about to explode, but her head and her entire body ached. She could hardly recall ever feeling so _lousy_.

"Jeez, Alex, your temperature's 102," Casey read the thermometer then laid out the medicines, "I wasn't sure which you preferred . . ."

"Advil's fine," Alex barely mustered, taking two liquid-gels.

At this point, Alex felt too weak and exhausted to care that she was supposed to be mad at Casey; Casey now simply worried about her co-worker's well-being, even if she usually wanted to rip her head off. While Casey went to heat some soup, Alex flicked on the television and tried to use the background noise of it to help her relax and possibly even doze off to sleep.

"Seriously, you watch _Dance Moms?_" Casey asked in disbelief as she returned with soup and toast.

"Hey, it is the most fantastic shit-show on television," Alex vehemently defended (well, as vehemently as her ill state allowed), "The moms are absolutely ridiculous! I'm a bit obsessed . . ."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm obsessed with the show, too," Casey laughed, "I'm just surprised Alexandra Cabot watches reality television. I would've expected _Masterpiece Theatre _on PBS or something like that."

"That's not on till 8:00, silly!" Alex replied, obviously becoming loopier and loopier from the fever, "They're playing part two of _Great Expectations_ tonight!"

"Oh boy, I'll make sure to program my TiVo," Casey laughed sarcastically under her breath, "Now, here, you should really try to eat something.

Alex slowly made her way through some of the food then once again lay down. Even though she wrapped herself in a blanket, she could not stop shivering, though she didn't feel cold per say.

"Why the hell are you being so nice to me?" Alex whispered, practically asleep, "I was absolutely horrible to you."

"You were upset," Casey responded, absolutely shocked that she was getting what, for Alex Cabot, just might be called an apology, "And I really shouldn't have gotten the arrest warrant without talking –."

"No, not about today," Alex continued, though out of it and somewhat incoherent because of the fever, "I mean way back when we first met, that comment I made about you being ready. You didn't exactly wheel out the welcome wagon, either, but most of our issues stem from me acting like a petulant five-year old towards you since then."

Casey knew that Alex would say this only under the influence of a high fever, but she felt touched all the same. She was about to respond and apologize for her own negative attitude when she noticed Alex completely and utterly asleep. The sight of Alexandra "Ice-Queen" Cabot sleeping completely amused Casey; she looked so peaceful and not scary for a change. The red-head quietly covered the blonde with a wool blanket that hung over the side of the couch, turned the television off, and quietly made her way out of the apartment, intent on calling her soon to make sure Alex stayed stable.

* * *

><p>So, thanks for reading! You know you want to press that review button, it's just so pretty . . . Anyway, I've set a new goal for myself of updating both of my stories at least once a week for the rest of the summer. Your reviews will (in all seriousness) help keep me honest and give me inspiration to update!<p> 


End file.
